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2004

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Spectroscopic Investigation Of Nitrogenase: Epr And Mcd Studies Of The Femo Cofactor And The P-Cluster, Robyn B. Broach Jan 2004

Spectroscopic Investigation Of Nitrogenase: Epr And Mcd Studies Of The Femo Cofactor And The P-Cluster, Robyn B. Broach

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Little is known about substrate binding and reduction of nitrogenase. EPR spectroscopy is used here to observe intermediate states generated by different substrates. Two different spin states (S=3/2 and S=1/2) were exhibited for each substrate, which may result from different binding of the substrate to the cofactor (side-on or terminal binding) or the difference of the substrate binding to either Fe or Mo of the cofactor. Parallel studies were performed on a variant MoFe protein, alpha-195Gln, which exhibited different signals from the wild-type suggesting that the substituted amino acid maybe necessary to reach some mechanistic states that the …

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The Contributions Of Floyd Leslie Sandle To Black Educational Theatre In Louisiana, Ava Marie Brewster-Turner Jan 2004

The Contributions Of Floyd Leslie Sandle To Black Educational Theatre In Louisiana, Ava Marie Brewster-Turner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Floyd Leslie Sandle appeared on the theatrical scene in 1938 on the campus of Grambling State University. From his humble beginnings in the segregated town of Magnolia, Mississippi, to Dillard University where his passion for theatre was nurtured by Dr. Sheppard Randolph Edmonds, Sandle made significant strides in the dvelopment of Black Educational Theatre in Louisiana. Through his unique approach of presenting plays to the residents of the rural community of Grambling, Louisiana, Sandle was able to establish a state certified Speech and Drama Department at Grambling State University. He trained students in educational theatre though his lectures, laboratory experiences, …

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The Relationship Among Alcohol Consumption, Dietary Intake, And Body Mass Index In Young Adults, Mary C. May Jan 2004

The Relationship Among Alcohol Consumption, Dietary Intake, And Body Mass Index In Young Adults, Mary C. May

LSU Master's Theses

This study was designed to assess the relationship of alcohol consumption, dietary intake, and body mass index (BMI) in 1,335 young adult males and females aged 20-38 years (62% female and 27% black) who were part of the Bogalusa Heart Study. Data were collected in 1995-1996 on dietary intake and alcohol consumption patterns. The prevalence of alcohol consumption was higher in males compared with females and higher in whites than blacks. Among drinkers, whites and blacks did not differ in the amount of alcohol consumed. Energy from alcohol was also greater in males than in females. Total energy intake did …

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The Influence Of Selected Perceptual And Demographic Factors On The Involvement Of Youth In Violent Behaviors, Nathaniel Mcclinton Jan 2004

The Influence Of Selected Perceptual And Demographic Factors On The Involvement Of Youth In Violent Behaviors, Nathaniel Mcclinton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of selected perceptual and demographic factors on the self-reported aggressive/violent behaviors of young adults while they were enrolled in school. Specific objectives formulated to guide the research were to: 1)determine the level of involvement in violence and violent behaviors; 2) determine the attitudes and beliefs of young adults; 3)determine the environmental conditions experienced by young adults when last in school; 4)determine if a relationship exists between the level of violence and violent behavior and selected perceptual and environmental factors among young adults, and finally 5)determine if a model exists to …

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Modeling Event-Based Coupled Hydrologic And Mass Transport In Small Urban Watersheds, Yuhong Sheng Jan 2004

Modeling Event-Based Coupled Hydrologic And Mass Transport In Small Urban Watersheds, Yuhong Sheng

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

To investigate the event-based coupled hydrologic and mass transport processes of particulate matter and their eventual fate in unit operations/processes, several methodologies were developed. Discrete rainfall-runoff events data were collected at two similar urban watersheds for model calibration and verification. A mathematically and physically-based criterion was proposed to differentiate rainfall-runoff events between either mass-limited or flow-limited. Statistical techniques of Logistic Regression and Discriminant Analysis were utilized to derive classification rules for event categories based on hydrologic data only. With watersheds assumed as either lumped systems or distributed systems, physically-based semi-empirical models were developed to simulate particulate mass delivery process during …

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Chromosomal Localization Of A Proinsulin Transgene Inserted With A Transposon-Based Vector Into Japanese Quail, Coturnix Coturnix, Lacey R. Mcnally Jan 2004

Chromosomal Localization Of A Proinsulin Transgene Inserted With A Transposon-Based Vector Into Japanese Quail, Coturnix Coturnix, Lacey R. Mcnally

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The overall goals of this research were to develop a reproducible method of detecting stable DNA insertion into Japanese quail and provide a method for gene location on avian chromosomes. This research resulted in the development of a different method of obtaining chromosome spreads in Japanese quail, the establishment of primed in situ hybridization as a method for the chromosomal gene detection in birds, development of Teflon-coated coverslip slides to facilitate laser microdissection of 0.5 ƒÝm samples, and chromosomal identification of proinsulin transgene insertions by laser microdissection and nucleotide sequence from G2 Japanese quail. The 28S rDNA was found on …

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Design And Performance Of Electric Shock Absorber, Oly D. Paz Jan 2004

Design And Performance Of Electric Shock Absorber, Oly D. Paz

LSU Master's Theses

The electric shock absorber is a device that converts the kinetic energy of an oscillating object into electric energy. This kinetic energy is normally dumped in a form of thermal energy in a conventional, mechanical shock absorber. The electric shock absorber consists of a permanent magnet linear synchronous generator (PMLSG), a spring, and an electric energy accumulator. The major goal of the project is to design and analyze the operation of an electric shock absorber. In order to define the initial requirements that the electric shock absorber has to satisfy, the construction and performance of currently used shock absorbers were …

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A Performer's Guide To Virgil Thomson's Five Songs From William Blake, Andrew David Whitfield Jan 2004

A Performer's Guide To Virgil Thomson's Five Songs From William Blake, Andrew David Whitfield

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Though perhaps his most well-known vocal works might be his operas, Four Saints in Three Acts and The Mother of Us All, American composer Virgil Thomson (1896-1989) did write nearly seventy songs for voice and piano, including several important song cycles. One of these cycles, the Five Songs from William Blake, represents an impressive composition for the baritone voice. Unfortunately, much of the previous scholarship about Thomson did not award these Blake songs adequate attention, nor was it able to draw upon many of the primary sources about Thomson’s life and work that are now available. The purpose of this …

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Fabrication And Assembly Of An Array Of Micro Fuel Injector Nozzles For A Trapped-Vortex Combustor, Tracy Ettel Morris Jan 2004

Fabrication And Assembly Of An Array Of Micro Fuel Injector Nozzles For A Trapped-Vortex Combustor, Tracy Ettel Morris

LSU Master's Theses

An array of four fuel injector nozzles, each with micrometer-scale swirlers and a microhole, is created on a single coupon. The nozzles are intended to atomize fuel to blend with swirling air before ejecting into a trapped-vortex combustion chamber. A first-generation metal prototype is fabricated in order to form the micro features, supply the fuel and gas to the nozzles, and guide the mixture to the combustion chamber. Microfabrication methods and precision machining are used to create a multiple plate laminate assembly. The central plate contains the four microholes, which atomize the fuel, and facilitate the swirler structures needed to …

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Spectroscopic And Synthetic Studies Relating To A Dirhodium Hydroformylation Catalyst, Petia Gueorguieva Gueorguieva Jan 2004

Spectroscopic And Synthetic Studies Relating To A Dirhodium Hydroformylation Catalyst, Petia Gueorguieva Gueorguieva

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The main goal of this dissertation research was to further study and characterize our bimetallic hydroformylation catalyst, rac-[Rh2(nbd)2(et,ph-P4)](BF4)2, and to fully identify the catalytically inactive mono- and dirhodium complexes formed upon fragmentation of the catalyst under hydroformylation conditions. Various in situ NMR methods such as 1D 1H and 31P, and 2D COSY, HMBC, and HMQC were employed and indicated the formation of the key catalyst, [rac-Rh2H2(μ-CO)2(CO)4(et,ph-P4)]2+, 4, and a number of other Rh-phosphine species on and off the catalytic cycle. …

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Analysis And Evaluation Of A Bioengineered Submerged Breakwater, Matthew Dwain Campbell Jan 2004

Analysis And Evaluation Of A Bioengineered Submerged Breakwater, Matthew Dwain Campbell

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana's coastline has received national attention due to rapid erosion rates estimated from approximately 60 to 100 square kilometers per year. The disappearance of coastal areas jeopardizes public and private infrastructure, property values, aquatic ecosystems, and standards of living. In order to resolve the erosion problem, innovative solutions have been explored that may improve effectiveness and cost efficiency. This research involves a technology, termed an "oysterbreak," which is a bioengineered submerged breakwater. This structure promotes oysters to form a dense structure that dissipates wave energy. Since the structure is biologically dominated, initial material use is modest. The oysterbreak was evaluated …

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State-Specific Effects Of Withdrawal In Smokers, Carla J. Rash Jan 2004

State-Specific Effects Of Withdrawal In Smokers, Carla J. Rash

LSU Master's Theses

Comparisons of responses to a free-recall task were made in withdrawal and non-withdrawal states of 41 smokers. A 2 x 2 design was used to investigate state-specific learning effects in smokers during nicotine withdrawal using a list of 20 common words. Nicotine withdrawal was defined as a minimum of 12 hours abstinence from smoking. Physiological measures of heart rate and blood pressure were examined for drug-compensatory responses. No significant decreases in physiological responding were found. Additionally, no interaction was found between reported urge and withdrawal. The primary hypothesis regarding state-specific effects on recall was not supported. These findings are to …

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Site-Directed Mutagenesis Studies Of E. Coli Biotin Carboxylase, Valerie Melissa Sloane Jan 2004

Site-Directed Mutagenesis Studies Of E. Coli Biotin Carboxylase, Valerie Melissa Sloane

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase is an essential enzyme in all plants, animals, and bacterie, where it catalyzes the committed step in fatty acid synthesis. The Escherichia coli version of the enzyme has three functional components that dissociate readily: biotin carboxylase, carboxyltransferase, and a biotin carboxyl carrier protein. The biotin carboxylase component catalyzes the ATP-dependent carboxylation of biotin, using bicarbonate as the carboxylate source. Biotin carboxylase is a member of a functionally diverse superfamily of proteins known as the ATP-grasp enzymes. In the first study, four residues of biotin carboxylase, Lys 116, Lys 159, His 209, and Glu 276, were selected for site-directed …

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Orbit Structure On The Silov Boundary Of A Tube Domain And The Plancherel Decomposition Of A Causally Compact Symmetric Space, With Emphasis On The Rank One Case, Troels Roussau Johansen Jan 2004

Orbit Structure On The Silov Boundary Of A Tube Domain And The Plancherel Decomposition Of A Causally Compact Symmetric Space, With Emphasis On The Rank One Case, Troels Roussau Johansen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

We construct a G-equivariant causal embedding of a compactly causal symmetric space G/H as an open dense subset of the Silov boundary S of the unbounded realization of a certain Hermitian symmetric space G1/K1 of tube type. Then S is an Euclidean space that is open and dense in the flag manifold G1/P', where P' denotes a certain parabolic subgroup of G1. The regular representation of G on L2(G/H) is thus realized on L2(S), and we use abelian harmonic analysis in the study thereof. In particular, …

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The Effect Of The Implicit Theory Of Integrity On An Internal Auditor's Asessment Of Management Fraud Risk, Stephanie F. Watson Jan 2004

The Effect Of The Implicit Theory Of Integrity On An Internal Auditor's Asessment Of Management Fraud Risk, Stephanie F. Watson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research project is to determine whether the implicit theory of integrity, a theory from the social psychology literature that predicts how social judgments and decisions are made, can explain internal auditors’ decisions. The implicit theory (Dweck and Leggett 1988) states that there are two types of people: (1) entity theorists and (2) incremental theorists. Entity theorists form strong inferences from observed behavior that are used to predict future behavior. Incremental theorists, on the other hand, do not infer characteristics from behavior, and therefore, do not attempt to predict future behavior. In an internal auditing context, the …

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Towards Automated Capture Of 3d Foot Geometry For Custom Orthoses, Rajeev Madazhy Jan 2004

Towards Automated Capture Of 3d Foot Geometry For Custom Orthoses, Rajeev Madazhy

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis presents a novel method of capturing 3D foot geometry from images for custom shoe insole manufacture. Orthopedic footwear plays an important role as a treatment and prevention of foot conditions associated with diabetes. Through the use of customized shoe insoles, a podiatrist can provide a means to better distribute the pressure around the foot, and can also correct the biomechanics of the foot. Different foot scanners are used to obtain the geometric plantar surface of foot, but are expensive and more generic in nature. The focus of this thesis is to build 3D foot structure from a pair …

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Biological Treatment Of Industrial Wastewater Containing High Concentrations Of Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (Las), Luis Alberto Espinoza Jan 2004

Biological Treatment Of Industrial Wastewater Containing High Concentrations Of Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (Las), Luis Alberto Espinoza

LSU Master's Theses

Lauryl Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (LAS) is the major anionic surfactant used worldwide in detergent and household cleaning product formulations. Its biodegradation and removal has been extensively studied in wastewater treatment facilities and laboratory-scale tests at low concentrations (<10 mg/L) typical of those encountered in municipal wastewater treatment plants. Less effort, however, has been expended investigating degradation of higher concentrations of LAS representative of those expected in wastewater generated at LAS manufacturing operations. The research described in this thesis was conducted to study biological processes for treating wastewaters containing high concentrations (e.g., 400 mg/L) of LAS. Initial experiments were carried out using a respirometry technique, and subsequently, three different laboratory-scale bioreactor systems. The three systems studied were a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR), a Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor (SBBR), and an Intermittent Cycle Extension Aeration System (ICEAS). The SBR and ICEAS were operated on a five-day cycle basis with a hydraulic retention time of four days. The SBBR was operated mainly in a two-day cycle having a hydraulic retention time of ten days as well, and polyurethane foam cubes were used as a support medium for attached biomass growth. The three systems were compared on their ability to remove LAS measured in terms of total organic carbon (TOC) and methylene blue active substances (MBAS). The reactors were also compared on the basis of foam production. The ICEAS showed the best performance in terms of controllable foam production while exhibiting a capacity for effectively dealing with transient periods of elevated loading. When a short Fill period was used, the SBR and SBBR had the disadvantage of producing excessive foaming, and an intermittent aeration strategy was required avoid overflow.

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Students' Construction Of The Body In Physical Education, Laura Azzarito Jan 2004

Students' Construction Of The Body In Physical Education, Laura Azzarito

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Recently, physical education researchers have been concerned about the results of national studies reporting young people's low level of participation in physical activity and health problems associated with inactivity. In general girls are less active than boys, and youth from low socioeconomic classes are less active and are more likely be unhealthy than middle or upper class youth. Blacks have the highest risks of health problems and the highest levels of physical inactivity. Among a number of recommendations included in Healthy People 2010, physical education has been identified as a fundamental site for addressing today's challenges. According to physical education …

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Spatial Analyses And Growth Of Trees In Selected Bottomland Hardwood Stands, Luben D. Dimov Jan 2004

Spatial Analyses And Growth Of Trees In Selected Bottomland Hardwood Stands, Luben D. Dimov

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Sustainable management and conservation of the extensive bottomland hardwood forest resource in the southeastern U.S. requires a good understanding of basic structural and competitive relationships within these forests. To gain an insight into these relationships, plot information from stands in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi were analyzed. The effects of individual tree attributes, distance-dependant, and distance-independent competition measures on 5-yr radial growth of red oak crop trees were examined. Selected species included cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda Raf.), water oak (Q. nigra L.), and Nuttall oak (Q. nuttallii Palmer). Spatial continuity of tree variables was explored through geostatistical analysis. Finally, spatial distribution …

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The Influence Of State Merit-Based Aid On Access And Educational Experiences: An Exploration Of The Louisiana Tuition Opportunity Program For Students (Tops), Roderick L. Smothers Jan 2004

The Influence Of State Merit-Based Aid On Access And Educational Experiences: An Exploration Of The Louisiana Tuition Opportunity Program For Students (Tops), Roderick L. Smothers

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Access to higher education at the beginning of the new millennium faces unprecedented challenges. Although many of those challenges have been identified and addressed through research and federal and state policies, there still exists an inherent gap in the current and potential future success of today’s college students. This is particularly true for minority and lower-income students. Some of the identified challenges include: lack of financial assistance, persisting through and graduating from college, pre-college preparation, socioeconomic status, and family support/motivation. This study focuses primarily on the financial barriers that impede the process of providing equal access to all students, which …

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Protein Aggregation Studies: Inhibiting And Encouraging Β-Amyloid Aggregation, Jed Paul Aucoin Jan 2004

Protein Aggregation Studies: Inhibiting And Encouraging Β-Amyloid Aggregation, Jed Paul Aucoin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This work demonstrates peptide-based aggregation mediation of fibril forming peptides, notably β-amyloid (1-40), Aβ1-40. To achieve the goals of this work, Aβ1-40 aggregation was governed by ionic strength, temperature, and pH. After controlling and reproducing Aβ1-40 aggregate formation (fibrils), each peptide-based aggregation mediator was evaluated for its ability to self-aggregate and to possess surface-active properties. The incorporation of these mediators in Aβ1-40 solutions changed the surface tension and produced aggregate complexes of mediator and Aβ1-40. Evidence that Aβ1-40 fibril formation may be mediated by disorder-to-order transitions has been observed by layer formation …

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Chemical Production Complex Optimization, Pollution Reduction And Sustainable Development, Aimin Xu Jan 2004

Chemical Production Complex Optimization, Pollution Reduction And Sustainable Development, Aimin Xu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this research is to propose, develop and demonstrate chemical production complex optimization to determine the optimal configuration of chemical plants in a superstructure of possible plants. The Chemical Complex Analysis System is a new methodology that has been developed to determine the best configuration of plants in a chemical production complex based on the AIChE Total Cost Assessment (TCA) for economic, energy, environmental and sustainable costs. All new, energy-efficient, and environmentally acceptable plants using greenhouse gases that can produce potentially commercial products designed with HYSYS were integrated into the chemical complex using the System. The optimum configuration …

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Assessing Perception Of Family Nutrition Program Characteristics And Nutrition Education Needs Of Low Socioeconomic Status Individuals, Denise Marie Holston Jan 2004

Assessing Perception Of Family Nutrition Program Characteristics And Nutrition Education Needs Of Low Socioeconomic Status Individuals, Denise Marie Holston

LSU Master's Theses

The Louisiana Family Nutrition Program (FNP) reaches up to 120,000 food-stamp recipients and other low SES individuals per year through direct and indirect nutrition education methods. To be effective in eliciting behavior change, a nutrition education program must be developed to be consistent with the needs, motivations, and concerns of the target audience; therefore, it is important that the needs, motivations, and concerns are being met by FNP. The purpose of this study was to determine, through the use of focus group discussions (FGD), whether nutrition education needs of FNP participants are being satisfied by the program. Nutrition education needs …

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The Sports Appeal: Are Atheletics A Viable Academic Marketing Vehicle In Higher Education?, Reagan Thomas Chenevert Jan 2004

The Sports Appeal: Are Atheletics A Viable Academic Marketing Vehicle In Higher Education?, Reagan Thomas Chenevert

LSU Master's Theses

Universities are beginning to brand themselves. The days when the doors to higher-ed opened and students flooded into the classrooms are no more. Colleges have to find ways to separate themselves from each other in a noisy marketplace. Also there is a decline in newsroom resources for academic coverage, which leaves university marketers searching for ways to communicate their messages. However, universities have another available marketing outlet, which is not seeing declining media attention: sports. College sports are a big business, which generate national media attention. The Southeastern Conference had revenues of over $100 million from the marketing of its …

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Genetics And Functions Of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Membrane Proteins In Virus-Induced Cell Fusion, Virion Morphogenesis And Egress, Jeffrey Michael Melancon Jan 2004

Genetics And Functions Of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Membrane Proteins In Virus-Induced Cell Fusion, Virion Morphogenesis And Egress, Jeffrey Michael Melancon

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Herpes Simplex Virus life cycle contains a number of membrane fusion events that must function properly to ensure a productive infection, including: virus attachment and entry into susceptible cells, de-envelopment at the outer nuclear lamellae, and virus-induced cell-to-cell fusion. A virus-free cell fusion assay was recently developed in order to attempt to understand the underlying mechanisms that are responsible for viral fusion events and was utilized in order to investigate the effect of mutations targeted to the carboxyl terminus of gB. We showed that the predicted alpha helical domain H17b within the carboxyl-terminus of gB is involved in both …

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Numerical And Experimental Investigation Of Transport Processes In Biological Systems, Yimeng He Jan 2004

Numerical And Experimental Investigation Of Transport Processes In Biological Systems, Yimeng He

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis focuses on optimization techniques for transport process during the cryopreservation of biological systems. In the first part of this thesis, a well established shape independent Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) technique was used to measure the dehydration response during freezing of Pacific oyster sperm cells. Volumetric shrinkage during freezing of diploid and tetraploid pacific oyster sperm cell suspensions was obtained at cooling rates of 5 and 20 ˚C/min in the presence of extracellular ice and CPAs. By fitting a model of water transport to the experimentally obtained volumetric shrinkage data the best fit membrane permeability parameters (Lpg and …

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Thermodynamic Characterization Of Dna Binding By Type I Dna Polymerases From Thermus Aquaticus And Escherichia Coli, Kausiki Datta Jan 2004

Thermodynamic Characterization Of Dna Binding By Type I Dna Polymerases From Thermus Aquaticus And Escherichia Coli, Kausiki Datta

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

DNA binding of the DNA polymerase I from Thermus aquaticus (Taq and Klentaq fragment) and E. coli (Klenow fragment) have been studied as a function of [salt] and temperature in order to understand their DNA binding thermodynamics. Binding of the two different species of polymerases occurs with sub-micromolar affinities in very different salt concentration ranges. Thus, at similar [KCl] the binding of Klenow is ~ 3kcal/mol (150X) tighter than the binding of Taq/Klentaq. Linkage analysis of the [KCl] dependence of DNA binding at 25°C reveals a net release of 2-3 ions for Taq/Klentaq and 4-5 ions for Klenow. DNA binding …

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Ceria-Zirconia Oxide High Temperature Desulfurization Sorbent, Kwang Bok Yi Jan 2004

Ceria-Zirconia Oxide High Temperature Desulfurization Sorbent, Kwang Bok Yi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

High temperature desulfurization of highly reducing coal-derived gases using ceria and ceria-zirconia sorbents is the primary object of this dissertation research. If H2S concentration is reduced to less than 1 ppmv the product gas may be used with fuel cells and downstream catalytic process. CeO2 is reduced to a non-stoichiometric oxide, which is superior to CeO2 in removing H2S. Moreover, ZrO2 addition to CeO2 to form a solid solution, Ce1-xZrxO2, increases the reducibility of CeO2. This should also result in improved desulfurization performance. Pure CeO2 and sorbents, both commercially available and prepared at LSU, were tested. XRD analysis indicated that …

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Which Mean Do You Mean?: An Exposition On Means, Mabrouck K. Faradj Jan 2004

Which Mean Do You Mean?: An Exposition On Means, Mabrouck K. Faradj

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of this thesis is to give a brief exposition on the theory of means. In Greek mathematics, means are intermediate values between two extremes, while in modern mathematics, a mean is a measure of the central tendency for a set of numbers. We begin by exploring the origin of the antique means and list the classical means. Next, we present an overview of the theories of binary means and n-ary means. We include a general discussion on axiomatic systems for means and present theorems on properties that characterize the most common types of means.

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Musical Play Across Ethnic Boundaries In Western Jamaica, Ronald Eric Dickerson Jan 2004

Musical Play Across Ethnic Boundaries In Western Jamaica, Ronald Eric Dickerson

LSU Master's Theses

An ethnography of music, ritual, and festival in western Jamaica, this thesis reports on fieldwork performed in St. Elizabeth and St. James Parishes between June 2002 and January 2003. Featured field sites include rural dancehall events, Kumina performances, Accompong Town's Maroon Heritage Festival, and a Rastafarian music and nutrition festival called "The Supper of Rastafari." Building an account of these and other sites of cultural performance, this study focuses on social connections between groups of participants, traced through poetic, historical, and personal relationships among performers, especially across boundaries of ethnic, stylistic, or religious difference within Jamaica's national cultural identity.

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